Automated three dimensional printing system

Abstract

A three dimensional printing system includes a print engine, a storage system, and a controller. The controller is configured to (1) receive a build order defining a plurality of three dimensional articles to be manufactured, (2) allocate partitions for receiving the plurality of the three dimensional articles within the storage system, (3) operate the print engine to fabricate the three dimensional articles, and (4) transfer the three dimensional articles to the partitions as they are built.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A three dimensional printing system comprising:
 a print engine including: 
 a resin vessel having a lower side with a transparent sheet; 
 a light engine that defines a build plane above the transparent sheet; and 
 a carriage having support arms for supporting a support tray; and 
 a storage system; 
 a pick and place mechanism; and 
 a controller configured to:
 1) receive a build order defining a plurality of three dimensional articles to be fabricated; 
 2) allocate partitions within the storage system for receiving the plurality of three dimensional articles; 
 3) operate the pick and place mechanism to retrieve an empty support tray from the storage system and to place the support tray onto the support arms; 
 4) operate the print engine to fabricate a three dimensional article of the plurality of three dimensional articles onto the support tray; 
 5) operate the pick and place mechanism to transfer the support tray with the three dimensional article to one of the allocated partitions; and 
 6) repeat steps 3 to 5 to complete the build order, the allocated partitions store the plurality of three dimensional articles, and 
 wherein the storage system includes: 
 a container with a vertical arrangement of slots or tabs; and 
 a movement mechanism for vertically positioning the container. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The three dimensional printing system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is further configured to provide instructions to a user indicating a specified quantity of empty support trays to be loaded into the storage system after step 2. 
     
     
       3. The three dimensional printing system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is further configured to vertically position the support arms to within a vertical capture distance of the pick and place mechanism before performing step 3. 
     
     
       4. The three dimensional printing system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is further configured to operate the movement mechanism to vertically position a slot or tab containing an empty support tray to within a vertical capture distance of the pick and place mechanism before performing step 3. 
     
     
       5. The three dimensional printing system of  claim 1  wherein allocating partitions includes allocating a vertical arrangement of the partitions that each contain one or more of the slots or tabs. 
     
     
       6. The three dimensional printing system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is further configured to operate the movement mechanism to vertically position a slot or tab within an empty allocated partition to within a capture distance of the pick and place mechanism before performing step 5. 
     
     
       7. The three dimensional printing system of  claim 1  wherein some of the allocated partitions initially contain empty support trays before step 3. 
     
     
       8. The three dimensional printing system of  claim 1  wherein step 4 includes:
 a) move the support arms until a lower face of the support tray or hardened resin is proximate to the build plane; 
 b) operate the light engine to selectively cure resin onto the lower face; 
 c) repeat a) and b) until the three dimensional article is fabricated; and 
 d) raise the support arms to within a capture distance of the pick and place mechanism before performing step 5. 
 
     
     
       9. A three dimensional printing system comprising:
 a print engine including: 
 a resin vessel having a lower side with a transparent sheet; 
 a light engine that defines a build plane above the transparent sheet; and 
 a carriage having support arms for supporting a support tray; and 
 a storage system; 
 a pick and place mechanism; and 
 a controller configured to:
 1) receive a build order defining a plurality of three dimensional articles to be fabricated; 
 2) allocate partitions for receiving the plurality of the three dimensional articles within the storage system; 
 3) generate a prompt for a user to load a specified number of support trays into the storage system; 
 4) receive an input from the user to start operation; 
 5) operate the pick and place mechanism to retrieve an empty support tray from the storage system and to place the support tray onto the support arms; 
 6) operate the print engine to fabricate a three dimensional article of the plurality of three dimensional articles onto the support tray; 
 7) operate the pick and place mechanism to transfer the support tray with the three dimensional article to one of the allocated partitions; and 
 8) repeat steps 3 to 5 to complete the build order whereby the allocated partitions store the plurality of three dimensional articles, and 
 wherein the storage system includes: 
 a container with a vertical arrangement of slots or tabs; and 
 a movement mechanism for vertically positioning the container. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The three dimensional printing system of  claim 9  wherein allocating partitions includes allocating a vertical arrangement of the partitions that each contain one or more of the slots or tabs. 
     
     
       11. The three dimensional printing system of  claim 10  wherein the user is instructed to load the empty support trays into a vertical range of the slots or tabs in step 3). 
     
     
       12. The three dimensional printing system of  claim 11  wherein the range of slots or tabs receiving the empty trays overlaps at least partially with the allocated vertical arrangement of partitions. 
     
     
       13. A three dimensional printing system comprising:
 a print engine including: 
 a resin vessel having a lower side with a transparent sheet; 
 a light engine that defines a build plane above the transparent sheet; 
 carriage having support arms for supporting a support tray; and 
 a support movement mechanism coupled to the carriage; and 
 a storage system including: 
 a container with a vertical arrangement of slots or tabs; and 
 a container movement mechanism for vertically positioning the container; and 
 a pick and place mechanism; and 
 a controller configured to:
 1) receive a build order defining a plurality of three dimensional articles to be fabricated; 
 2) vertically allocate partitions of the container for the three dimensional articles; 
 3) vertically position the support arms and a slot or tab holding an empty support tray to within a vertical capture distance of the pick and place mechanism; 
 4) operate the pick and place mechanism to transfer the empty support tray from the slot or tab to the support arms; 
 5) operate the print engine to fabricate one a three dimensional article of the three dimensional articles onto the support tray; 
 6) vertically position the support arms and an empty one of the partitions to within a vertical capture distance of the pick and place mechanism; 
 7) operate the pick and place mechanism to transfer the support tray with the fabricated three dimensional article from the support arms to the empty partition; and 
 8) repeat steps 3-7 to complete the build order. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The three dimensional printing system of  claim 13  wherein the controller is configured to prompt a user to load empty support trays into a range of the slots or tabs before step 3. 
     
     
       15. The three dimensional printing system of  claim 14  wherein the range of slots or tabs receiving the empty support trays vertically overlaps with the allocated partitions.